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Kony Trial Could Jeopardise Amnesty, Says Justice Onega

New Vision (Kampala)
NEWS
July 31, 2004
Posted to the web August 2, 2004

By Jude Etyang
Kampala
The International Criminal Court's (ICC) intended trial of Joseph Kony has left
the Uganda Amnesty Commission (UAC) in a tricky position, UAC chairman said on
Tuesday.
Justice P.K.K Onega said the government was in a dilemma because it risked
losing the confidence of rebels in amnesty.
Onega told an NGO dialogue assessing the impact of the amnesty amendment law
and the introduction of ICC investigations into the war, that, "The commission
doesn't condone impunity but our problem is the possibilty of this trial making
the amnesty process useless."
He said the government's proposed amendment of the Amnesty Act to exclude
leaders of rebel groups, was intended to make the law rhyme with ICC objectives
to discourage impunity.
He said about 13,231 rebels, 5,000 of whom were from the Lord's Resistance Army
(LRA), had benefited from the Amnesty Act.
Onega said the trial of Kony and other LRA leaders would make reconciliation
and national unity difficult.
He said, "The best thing would be to go for a peaceful settlement and
reconciliation."
Onega added that the Commission had proposed the formation of an alternative
system which would lead to reconciliation.

   

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